Massage device



May 1 9,v 1931. P RUDOLPH 1,805,675

MASSAGE DEVICE Filed Jan. 18., 1930 Patented May 19, 193 1 UNITED. STATES EN orries ALFRED r. Renown, or DENVER, COLORADO 3 I 1 f g nAssAeEnnvIcn a iicagibnmeali nuar 18, 1930. s eri al m a. 42 1 ,719.

andfor this purpose a hand operated device like the one that forms the subject of this invention has been found very useful. It" is the object of this inventionto produce a device of the type referred to which shalllbe of neat and substantial construction and which shall be provided with means for adjusting the intensity of the vacuum "and which: shall also be provided with valves for retaining the vacuum in'theapplicator during the return stroke of the piston. v

The above and other objects that may appear as the description proceeds are attained by means of a construction and an arrange- 5 ment of parts that will now bedescribed in detail, reference for this purpose be ng. had

to the accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodimentof my invention has been illustrated, and in which:

" Fig.1 is a longitudinal section of the improved vacuum massage device;

' Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 22, Fig. 1, and shows the construction of the piston operating means;

Fig. 3 is a sectlon taken on-line 3- 3 'Fig.

1, a portion of the valve being broken away to better disclose the construction V Fig. 415 a section showing a modified form of applicator; I I :Fig; 5 isa section through one end of the devicefshowing a slightly-modified form of construction and 1 Fig. 6 shows another form of applicator that is adapted forspecial uses. I

In' the drawings reference'numeral 1 represents an elongated tubular member that formsthe cylinder of the device. One end of this member is closed by an end closure 2 that-is preferably soldered or brazed in p0-.

sition. This end closure has an inwardly ex tending cylindrical hub 3 that is provided with a threaded opening e withwhich the;

adjusting screw 5 'is operatively associated.

Memberl is provided on one side with an i I elongated slot 6 and at the-otherend with a lug 7. The open endofmember 1 has a 1 portion of its outer surface, threaded'as indicated at 8 and a cap 9 isoperatively associated' with'the' threaded portion in the manner shown in'Fig. 1. 7 Cap 9 is provided with a central opening 10 through which the stem, 11 of the applic'ator 12 extends. V Theopen end of member 1 is closed by means of a rubber'plug 13 that has-a central opening through which thestem .11 extends. This plug isof a somewhatlarger diameter than the insideof the tubular member and is held in' place'by the action of the cap 9. The stem ll preferably extends entirely through, the

plug and terminates flush with the inner .surface thereof, butthis is not'an essential fea,- ture ofthe construction. Secured tothe inner end of, the plug is a flexible flap'14 that is held in placeby a pin 15. When thisflap is in the full line position shown in Fig. 3, 1t serves as a valve member that permits air to; move inwardly through the applicator and into the cylinder but which'prevents air from' moving in the opposite direction.

When this Valve is in operative position, it helpst'o retain the vacuum in the applicator during-the return stroke of the piston. When the valve is not desired, it canbe movedto dotted'line position Fig. 3.

1 Located within the tubular member is a piston which comprises two washers 16 and 17 between which is located a leather jcup 18 The assembly ofwashers and cup is'clamped between the nuts 19 and 20 that are threaded-j ly. securedto the piston rod 21. Secured to the other end of the piston rod is a guide 22. This guide is preferably providedfwith a depression at its outer endandwithin this depression is located one end of, a compression spring 23 whose other end rests against the inner surface of the .endclosur'e' 2. "Spring 23 is under lcompression and'tends to move the piston'away from the end closure and to retain the partsin the, position shownin .6

Fig. 1. Screw 5 serves as a stop that limits the outward movement of the piston and the ide and since this screw can be adjusted the length of the stroke can also be adjusted in a manner and for a purpose that will hereinafter appear. Secured to the guide 22 is a lug 24. This lug extends outwardly through the slot 6 and the inward movement of the piston and the guide is limited by the'engagement of lug 24 with the inner end of slot 6. For the purpose of reciprocating the piston an operating means comprising two toggle levers 25 has been provided. Levers 25 are preferably made exactly alike and one of them is pivotally attached to the lug 7 by means of a pin 26, while'the other is pivotally connected with lug 24 by means of a pivot pin 27. The ends of the two levers are connected by a pivot pin 28 and this also holds a plate 29 in place. The plate 29 is provided on opposite sides with lugs 30 that extend downwardlyover the sides of the levers. The-upper surface of plate 29 is concave and serves as a rest for the finger by means of which the device is operated. When the parts; are in normal position, they occupy the full line position shown in Fig. 1, but when pressure is applied to plate 29, the toggle is straight? ened into the position shown by dotted lines, and this moves the pistonand guide towards the right until the outer surface of the guide comes in contact with the inner surface of the adjustable stop 5. A felt washer 31' is located between the plug 13 and'the piston and this washer serves as a filter and prevents liquids, oils or other foreign matter from coming in contact with the piston. If this filter becomes soiled it can readily be removed and replaced by a clean felt washer. The leather cup 18 is made from flexible leather and permits air to move from the front to the rearthereof, but prevents air fromflowing in the opposite direction, and therefore when the piston is moved towards the right, it sucks air from the applicator into the cylinder and when the piston is permitted to move towards the left, the air which is prevented from returning to the applicator by the action of valve member l l flows by the piston towards the left hand side thereof. n Instead of employing the felt washer 31, the applicator can be constructed in the manner shown in Fig. 4, from which it will be seen that the applicator has been provided with an enlarged portion 32 that is adapted to receive a plug of absorbent cotton 33. This cotton serves as a filter and can readily be removed and replaced by a clean plug whenever this becomes necessary.

The applicator shown in Figs. 1 and 4 is provided with a belled outer end which has considerable size and which is intended'for use as a massage device. When this device is to be used for removing blackheads or for removing pus from pimples, or any similar use, an applicator like that shown in Fig. 6

bagapplied to my present device. By interposing a felt washer 31 between the rubber bag and'the piston, the bag will not become entangled with the piston as it might. if washer'81 were not employed.

- From the above descriptionit will be apparent that I have produced an improved massage device of a simple and substantial construction and which is provided with means for regulating the intensity of the vacuum to any extent required. By providing a guide 22 for the end of the piston rod,

the necessity of having the piston rod extend through the end of the device in the manner shown in mypatent, has been obviated. The use of a guide also makes it possible to pro vide an adjustable stop to limit the stroke of the piston. v

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is i 1. A hand operated vacuum massage device comprising, in combination, a cylinder formed from a tubular member having one end closed and the other open,.a piston slidab-ly mounted in the cylinder, a guide member secured to the piston and spaced from the latter, said guide member engaging the wall of the cylinder, a spring located between the guide member and the closed end, said spring being under compression and exerting aforce tending to move the piston to- Wards the open end, the tubular member having a slot, a pin secured to the guide member and extending through the slot, means comprising a toggle having one end. attached to the pin and the other end connected with the tubular member for moving the piston against the force exerted by the spring and an applicator secured in the openend of the tubular member. 1 i

2. A hand operated vacuum massage device comprising, in combination, a cylinder formed from a tubular member having one end closed and the other open, apiston' slidably mountedin the cylinder,.a guide member secured'to the piston and spaced from the latter, said guide member engaging the wall of the cylinder, a spring located between the guide member and the closed end, said spring being under compression and exciting a force tending to move the piston towards the open end, the tubular member having a slot, a pin secured to the guide member and extending through the slot, means comprising a toggle having one end attached to the pin and the other end connected with the tubular member for moving the piston against the force exerted by the spring, an applicator secured in the open end of the tubular member and a check valve associated with the applicator, said valve permitting air to flow into the cylinder but not out therefrom. i

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALFRED P. RUDOLPH. 

